The ADP overshoot was just one in a series of good labor-related numbers. Jobless claims fell a larger-than-expected 12,000 in the Sept. 1 week. Layoff announcements in August fell to their lowest number since December 2010, said Challenger Gray & Christmas. And TrimTabs Investment Research, usually a Sad Sack when it comes to job estimates, said its calculations of tax-withholding data show August payrolls increased by a hefty 185,000.

Of course, any payroll change with a plus sign in front of it is good news for the economy and job-seekers. But progress on unemployment will remain slow.